Civil War
by LittleBlueNayru
Summary: Mewtwo fixed his steady gaze on the two ex-Smashers in front of him. "It's time for us to regain our rightful status as Smashers. We are declaring war on the Smash Mansion." --Warning, some characters might be OOC to make this work.--
1. It Begins

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything from SSBB, SSBM, and SSB. Nintendo owns it all.**

Another idea that just wouldn't leave me alone. Well, tell me what you think!

* * *

Chapter One: It Begins

As far as occupations were concerned, the life of a Smasher was extremely hectic. And no one knew this better than the Smashers themselves. The thirty-five active members that lived in the Smash Manor kept busy brawling day after day after day. The Manor itself was now so huge that to call it a manor would be a gross understatement; in terms of size, the place was unrivaled by anything within a 75-mile radius of Smashville. There was plenty of room for everyone and everything, down to the Assist Trophies and the numerous Poke balls.

Maybe that was the cause of it all.

The Assistants, as they were called, had never known the spotlight the Smashers basked in, and they resented that fact. Countless others who had never even been invited to be a Smasher or an Assistant shared that consensus. But there were five who were more bitter than even them, who had been shoved out of that light into the shadows, though they were allowed to keep their places in the Smash Manor.

One of those five was currently brooding in one of the Manor's many kitchens, sitting at a bar counter, staring glumly into a cup of coffee. A murky, brown-toned reflection of one Roy displayed a frown of deep thought, until the reflection was disturbed by Roy slowly stirring his cup in a circle along the counter's surface.

Of the five, he was probably the most resentful of his "retirement." He had been so much better than Marth, he felt, yet he had gotten replaced by that guy they called Ike. He had seen the guy only once or twice, but Ike had never even spared him a glance. From what Roy could gather, Ike was a quiet kind of guy, and when he did speak, he wasn't about to be all emotional. He was blunt and cold. Roy, at least, had been on speaking terms, and even friends, with more people than Marth. But each time Roy saw Ike, he was with Marth, and the two were off by themselves.

He was thinking these depressing thoughts, and did not notice the entrance of Young Link. The young Hylian, having not taken a liking to coffee, took out his trademark bottle of Lon Lon Milk, and drained it in three gulps. He sighed contentedly and wiped off his face, putting his empty bottle back into his pouch. Roy had not even looked up, but his depression was contagious and filling the room, and Young Link was taken back to a time when his previous actions had been his taunt, his mock. Now, Toon Link mocked Young Link, sitting in the stands, waving his baton, swinging his sword insanely.

"What's up?" Young Link asked, though he already knew.

Roy looked up. "What do you think?" he asked glumly. There was no need to guess. Both knew what was up, or rather down. "I hate this shitty retirement."

"Same," Young Link said. "I was replaced by a duplicate from a child's comic..."

"I have no idea what Ike's like," Roy said. "They could have switched me with a wimp. And Mewtwo got switched with Lucario. I mean, what's up with that?"

Young Link sighed. "Well, there's not much we can do about it. The Smashers are the Smashers, and that's that. It's not like the five of us protesting would do much in our favor either."

"What if it wasn't just five?"

Roy and Young Link jumped and turned to a darkened doorway, where they saw a pair of glowing eyes.

"Jeez, Mewtwo, what is up with you and scaring people?" Roy grumbled.

Mewtwo rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean to. It just happens."

From next to Mewtwo, Roy and Young Link heard a cheerful "Pichu!"

"What is Pichu doing with you, Mewtwo? You barely ever hang out with him. And when you do, it's to terrorize him."

Pichu laughed again, and Mewtwo sighed. "We decided to put aside our differences for a common goal," Mewtwo said.

"Common goal?" Roy asked, raising an eyebrow. What common goal could the two Pokemon possibly have?

"We overheard your conversation," Mewtwo said. "Even as we speak, Dr. Mario is attempting to contact potential Smashers, and the Assistants are meeting in the back basement. We even went to the trouble of getting some other Pokemon in on it. But the fact of the matter is, we deserve to be Smashers, and things can't continue this way for long."

Young Link's and Roy's faces were mirror expressions of shock. "You're not saying..." Roy said in disbelief.

"Oh, I am," Mewtwo said, fixing on steely eye on the two warriors. "It's time to regain our rightful status as Smashers. We are declaring war on the Smash Mansion."

* * *

Well, that's chapter one. An all out civil war is going to take place in the Smash Manor. Who will win? Who will lose? Who will betray, and who will remain loyal to the bitter end?

RnR, if you aren't going to flame.


	2. The Formation of the Omnipresent

I said it once, but I'll say it again: I don't own the SSB series. Nintendo does. Yes, all bow before the almighty Nintendo.

OK, chapter 2 is up! How did you all like the first one?

* * *

The Omnipresent

The arrangement was that at 1400, or 2:00 in the afternoon, every person who wanted to be a part of this secret uprising would make their way, individually, to the utility basement.

Roy met Young Link just outside the door to the staircase. With a grim nod, they opened the door and descended into the dank darkness.

At the bottom was another door. Young Link had a hard time opening the door, but eventually pulled the door far enough open to get through. It was really a matter of the fact that the door was so full of moisture that the wood had expanded. Roy shut the door behind them, and once again, they were surrounded by blackness on all sides.

But not for long. Barely a moment after the door sealed off the last of the upper floor's light, an old incandescent bulb suddenly lit up. It was covered in dust and glowing yellow, but it was better than nothing. Roy and Young Link looked around the empty room in confusion before numerous faces peered out from numerous, strategically placed, hiding spots, behind boxes, crates, bookshelves, old weight equipment, and other basement junk.

Lyn the Assistant was the first to emerge from hiding, followed shortly by Princess Daisy and Rosalina, Shadow the Hedgehog, Gray Fox, Knuckle Joe, Waluigi, and many, many more people, too many to count or name.

"Wow..." Roy breathed, taking in the fellow rebels with awed eyes. "Dr. Mario is incredible!"

"For once, I'll agree with that," Waluigi said. "Why does Wario get to be a Smasher, but not me?! If it hadn't been for Dr. Mario's message, I would have missed out on my one opportunity to gain that status."

"It's our only chance for many of us here," Isaac the Assistant said.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

The hopefully-future Smashers gave each other a short apprehensive glance before diving back into their hiding spots. Porky switched the dim light off, and darkness engulfed the room again.

The person behind the door was apparently having some trouble opening it, which was a great advantage. Not only that, but the door was making such and awful racket, what with squeaks, shudders, and groans, that there would always be plently of time to duck for cover. Eventually, the door gave way, and in walked Mewtwo. Following him were Pichu, and a score of Pokemon.

Roy stood up, shocked by the myriad of Pokemon. "Mewtwo, what the hell is going on?! Why did you bring all those Pokemon?!"

When all the Pokemon had found seats in the already crowded basement, Mewtwo said, "Well, it's kind of unfair to disclude Pokemon that retired, when we are trying to bring ourselves closer to the heart of Smash Brothers. Before we get off topic, we should start."

Everyone immediately quieted down and fixed their eyes on Mewtwo, who floated into the center of the circle of boxes and began speaking.

"The new arrangements of Brawl are highly disappointing, but no one is more disappointed in them than us, we who should be _included_ in it. And if we are included, actually among the Brawlers."

Several claps, and mutters of agreement, were heard at this statement.

"That is why we are here," Mewtwo said, slowly fixing his eyes on the entire room. "We deserve to be in Brawl. We deserve to have high ranking. We deserve it all. I am not saying that the Smashers don't, but I _am_ saying that we do. Today begins our campaign to get these things which we are entitled to. If it means replacing the Smashers, so be it. If it means declaring war on the Smash Mansion as a whole, so be it. If it means unraveling everything we have known here and beginning anew, so be it!"

Mewtwo's voice grew more intense as went on, but he had not raised it until the end of his speech. But when he did, he was met with cheering, whistling, and applause. Then, he continued.

"I think I am not alone in thinking that we do not want to resort to discord and a little war. Our goal is to get what we want without causing too much commotion. Though we must eventually make our purpose known, until we are better assembled for the trials we will most assuredly face, it is best to keep the rest of the Manor ignorant. If anyone would like to speak, simply come to the center." With that, he floated to a seat next to Pichu and sat down.

Immediately, Roy stood up and walked into the center.

"Something I just thought of is that, if you're going for the title of Smasher, you need to be _original_. You need to have your own taunts, you own moves, your own Final Smash. They got rid of most duplicates this past game, and if we look like a bunch of duplicates, it will be that much harder for us to win."

Next, Hammer Bro went into the middle. "We need some tricks up our sleeves. Things they'd never see coming. Whatever you can think of, as long as it gives them a good slap, a real, literal slap, if need be, to the face."

The rest murmured agreement. But Hammer Bro wasn't done. "Personally, I wasn't thinking of going for the title of Smasher. What would people who didn't want to become Smashers do?"

"They could become Assist Trophies," Mewtwo said, offering an idea. "I suppose as time goes on and we wage our war, it will become clear to each of us what exactly it is we want to do. Forgive me if I'm rude, Hammer Bro, but if you didn't want to become a Smasher, why did you come?"

Hammer Bro shrugged. "I wanted to be a more powerful Assistant. A small par of me wants to become a Smasher, but I don't know if I could do it."

"You can do it, if you set your heart on it!" Daisy said.

"If you can find a decent move set, you should be able to do it," Young Link piped up. "But anyone who wants to become a Smasher is going to need to practice and study a lot."

For about an hour, the group worked by the light of the solitary lightbulb, planning endeavors, making strategy, and even filling out a petition, marked with cryptic signatures that could not easily be identified by anyone. They also signed a banner that said they would do whatever was necessary to further their goal, and to remain loyal to it. At the end, the only thing missing was the name they would take on.

"The Resistance? The Group?" Young Link volunteered.

Rosalina shook her head. "It's been done before."

"How about the rebels, or the rebellion?" Knuckles the Echidna suggested.

"That's been done before, too."

"Well, what do you suggest?" Knuckles snapped at Rosalina.

Rosalina shrugged, and Knuckles snarled in aggravation.

Many other people gave it a shot, but none of the suggested names seemed good enough, interesting enough, original enough, or even cool enough sounding to be used as a name.

Waluigi gnashed his teeth in anger. "We're spending the better part of a strategy meeting thinking up a name for ourselves? This is pathetic! Laughable!"

"I don't see you coming up with anything!" Young Link snapped.

Finally, Lyn swung her sword at the weight bench, causing a metallic din. Her fellow rebels turned to look at her, some fearing that anyone upstairs would hear the noise.

"We are picking a name, and we are sticking with that name," she said decisively. "It doesn't need to be directly related to what we're doing at all, and it doesn't need to explain our purpose in the least. And it most certainly _doesn't_ have to be cool. I know _I _don't care if we're the Insurgence, the Underdogs, the Fallen, the Uprising, or even The Trash," she said, citing several other suggestions from earlier. " What _I_ want is to get this settled so I can start thinking of a move set so I can become a Smasher. And _that_ is why I propose _this_," she said, swinging her sword around to a rotting wooden crate. She started running the tip of her blade along the soft wood, leaving clear lines, inscribing what would become the name of the group.

"We are the Omnipresent."

* * *

Longer than I though it would be...

Well, I had no idea about the title of the group. I wrote a bunch of different names on notecards, shuffled the cards with my eyes closed, and did eeny meeny miney mo. Stupid, you say? Shut up, I don't care. It's staying the Omnipresent, and there's nothing you can do about it.

I have plenty ideas, but if you really can't keep yours to yourself you can share it. Review!


	3. The First Step

Disclaimer: I don't own the SSB series, Nintendo does.

Well, I was kind of out of it when I wrote this one. I think I could have done better, you tell me what you think. Anyway, this is my present to you all, since I will be gone on vacation and the soonest anything will be added or updated is one week from post date. However, my desires to get the action underway conflicted with my little one-week hiatus, so unfortunately for you, this chapter ends in a _cliff hanger_.

Don't say I didn't warn you. Now, on with the uprising.

* * *

The First Challenge

Sundays were always quiet days in the Smash Manor. Less people fought on Sundays, preferring to go shopping, continue personal projects, train and spar, and simply laze around. Sundays were just perfectly made for doing so. However, one thing was always consistent: Marth got up to train at six in the morning. Today, however, he was joined by Ike. It had been a month since his induction into Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and he hadn't said more than five words each to more than five people except Marth.

Ike was sitting at the bar counter, coincidentally in the same chair of the same kitchen Roy had occupied scarcely a day before. He also happened to be stirring a cup of coffee in his hand, but unlike Roy, he was attempting to stay awake, not bemoaning a horrible fate. On the contrary, Marth was wide awake, watching a piece of bread, slathered with butter, toast in the toaster oven.

With a _ding_, Marth opened the little door and lifted his delectable toast out gently, quickly running to the shelves to get a plate while blowing on the topside. The moment he had set down the small breakfast, he blew at his hot fingertips, hoping they weren't burnt. For good measure, he ran them under the kitchen sink, smiling when nothing was overly sore and no skin was revealed to have burned. He walked back over to the plate on the counter and walked over to sit across from Ike. Ike watched it all with heavily shadowed, baggy eyes, and lifelessly took a sip of coffee.

"That's all you're having?" the mercenary asked his friend, staring at the toast on Marth's plate.

"Well, maybe later I'll get some fruit or something," Marth said.

"Why do you insist on getting up so early?" Ike asked, taking another sip of coffee. "The sun isn't even up. Did you learn that as part of your prince training, or what?"

"_No_," Marth said, waving the idea off. "I just like starting my days early, that's all!"

Ike blinked blearily and took another sip, hoping he wouldn't fall asleep into his drink. "Why bother starting your days early? It's much better to sleep in late."

"But then you'd stay up later!" Marth said, looking horrified at the idea. "Who wants to be awake at _night_?"

Ike deigned the question not worth an answer, and took a fourth sip of coffee. When it failed to pull him into the waking world, he looked into the mug and studied it. "Need more caffeine..." With all the energy of a zombie, Ike got up and trudged over to the coffee machine, putting in an insane mixture of coffee beans and sugar, designed to blast him to life.

Marth watched Ike drug up his drink with curious eyes. "Won't that make you all hyper, Ike?"

"We're going to spar, aren't we?" Ike said, turning his zombie eyes towards Marth. "I'll use it all in training. You'd better watch yourself."

"You mean _prepare_ yourself," Marth said somewhat smugly, teasing his friend about one of his taunts. Ike glared and rolled his eyes halfheartedly. His taunts were subject to a number of jokes among the Smashers, even the Hands and the Assistants. The coffee finally filled the mug, and Ike trudged back to his seat. He took a sip of his caffeine-spiked concoction, and, as if by magic, his face lost all shadows, bags, and evidence of tiredness. "See? It worked fine!" Ike said.

Marth regarded the cup with apprehension. "I wouldn't continue that if I were you, though..."

"Yeah, you wouldn't," Ike said, taking a swig of coffee. With a contented sigh, he put the mug back on the counter and watched Marth nibble at his toast. "Hey, why isn't anyone else's taunts made fun of?" he asked Marth.

Marth looked up. To the other Smashers, Ike put up a pretense of not caring, but Marth was the only one who knew how much the jokes actually bugged Ike. "Hey, Fox's gets made fun of all the time! And several of the others' battle moves are made fun of, too. You shouldn't worry about it!"

Suddenly, Roy walked into the kitchen. He glanced over at Ike, noting him for later. He had a sturdy body, a sword as big as hell, and he looked like a heavyweight. However, neither had noticed him yet, and he turned away from them to get some food from the refrigerator.

Almost as soon as he had done this, Ike looked away from his mug and to the fridge, where he saw a redhead dressed very similarly to Marth, even wielding a sword. However, he had never seen the guy before. Not when he was fighting, not when he was watching a fight, not even when he was training. Heck, when Master Hand called a meeting for the Smashers, the guy was nowhere to be seen! Never taking his eyes off him, Ike leaned towards Marth and whispered, "Who's he?"

Marth turned around, mouth full of toast. His eyebrows momentarily vanished into his hair when he saw Roy in the fridge, but they had returned to their normal height by the time he turned back to Ike. Whispering, he said, "That's Roy. He was a Smasher in Melee, but he's not in Brawl."

"Why not?" Ike hissed.

"You replaced him," Marth whispered, eyes full of sorrow.

Ike pulled his face away from Marth's and blinked in shock several times. So _that_ was why, in the beginning, he had heard nasty comments about him "taking" someone else's position. Come to think of it, Toon Link and Lucario had had to endure that as well. He had said more than five words to them on that matter. Ike watched as Roy picked out a choice orange and sat at the opposite end of the bar counter, on Marth's side. He avoided eye contact with both of them.

The awkward silence permeating the air was making eating impossible for Marth. A tension, never discussed or spoken of, but there nonetheless, was causing almost visible, tangible vibrations in the air between Ike and Roy. Both knew who the other was. Even Ike was starting to feel uncomfortable in the kitchen's atmosphere.

Marth cleared his throat. "Good morning, Roy," he said uncertainly.

"Morning." Roy's response was automatic, and the tone left no more room for any conversation. Nonetheless, Marth persisted. "It looks like it's going to be a clear day..." he said uncertainly. As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he could have slapped himself. He was talking about the _weather_. Marth and Roy used to be great friends, and they were reduced to talking about weather. Though Marth couldn't slap himself, Ike pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing silently.

"Yup. Clear day," Roy said, eyes never leaving his orange. "Good day for training."

"Yeah..." Marth said, still floundering in his weather move. "Um... Roy? This is Ike," Marth said, gesturing to the Crimean hero, who still had his face hidden.

Only half of Roy's face was visible, and only one eye could be seen looking up at the swordsman with a hard stare. "Yes..." Roy said in low, foreboding tones. "I have watched him fight. He is very good."

Marth could have broken out in sweat, Roy was unnerving him so much. "Y-yeah. He's going to be in that big Smash tournament next month!" Marth said in a falsely chipper voice.

Roy's eye zoomed back down to the orange, contemplating the tournament. "I see."

All of a sudden, Lyn and Young Link walked into the room.

"Hi, Lyn," Marth said, happy that another presence was going to diffuse the pressure in the room.

"Good morning," she said crisply, killing Marth's hope on the spot. Then she turned to Roy. "Come on. We're ready," she said.

Roy tossed his peel into the trash can and stood up. "I'm coming, I'm coming," he said impatiently, with more life in his voice. "Jeez, Lyn, you sound as if you've been waiting since five in the morning!" he said, laughing at his joke.

Marth blinked. Roy used to be like this around _him_. Hell, he barely knew Lyn at all! She had been one of the newbies, and even though she hadn't replaced him, he never hung out with her. Marth's probing was halted by Lyn's response.

"I was," she said in response to Roy's joke, causing the redhead to lean against the counter and laugh.

"Come on! Lighten up!" he said, walking over to her and Young Link. Roy opened his mouth to say something else, but then closed it. He shook his head and said, "Come on, Lyn's right. The day's getting wasted." Young Link, who had been drinking his infamous Lon Lon Milk again, wiped his mouth and followed Lyn and Roy out the door.

Ike and Marth watched them walk out. About half a minute later, the clashing of steel and the yells of the three filled the yard outside. As the sun was rising, the two swordsmen still in the kitchen could see their three-way swordfight in the pale dawn. Lyn and Roy appeared to be teaming up on Young Link, who was constantly made to dodge, roll, and run, relying on agility against the two more experienced fighters. Sometimes, Lyn or Roy would call out a hint, and Young Link would use it, eventually gaining the upper hand. Eventually, the three sheathed their swords and went back inside, using a different door. Marth and Ike could hear them as they walked through the mansion, discussing fighting styles.

"I haven't seen them train...ever," Ike said.

"Same," Marth said. "Well, not Young Link and Roy since the introduction of Brawl. I wonder why they suddenly decided to train. And train together."

"Maybe Lyn just wanted to make sure she didn't get rusty. Or maybe Roy and Young Link are going home," Ike said somewhat hopefully.

Marth shook his head. "Somehow, I doubt it."

* * *

Young Link took a swig from his bottle of Lon Lon Milk, which seemed to magically refill itself so he could taunt, over and over. But this time, the milk that lapped down his throat refreshed him, eased the dryness and rawness from the hour of training.

Young Link's cuts vanished, the blood wiped away in an instant. His worn muscles relaxed. He unconsciously stood up straighter. Adrenaline for what he was about to do raced through his being, putting everything in sharper clarity. He hadn't been this excited since his first fight. There wasn't even any nervousness within him; the anticipation, the _want_ for the battle to come, it was too strong to be nervous about. He was going to win. Because he had not one, but two, aces in the hole.

Side by side, the three rouge swordsmen walked through several of the numerous hallways in the Smash Manor. Some Smashers saw them, and spared a curious glance. Whenever they met another member of the Omnipresent, the looks were nowhere near as curious. This was the First Step. The looks ranged from ones silently wishing luck to ones dripping with malicious glee. The order of the Smash Manor was about to begin unraveling; the end was about to begin.

Young Link gave the ones who looked as such a small nod, never breaking his concentration. His opponent would be just as agile as he, maybe ever more so. Those two aces were only last resorts.

Finally, he heard the fool, laughing with his pig in one of the sitting rooms. Young Link kicked the door open, flanked by Lyn and Roy. In the utter silence following the bang of the door, the room's occupants looked up in confusion at the three.

Toon Link, who had been rolling on the floor with his pig Link, stopped, back on the carpet. Zelda, who had been reading a book quietly, looked up with a raised eyebrow. Pichu, in the very back, started doing a silence dance. Peach started in surprise. Mr. Game and Watch froze mid-beep.

Young Link drew his Kokiri Sword, and with a flourish, pointed it at Toon Link's head. Toon's eyes widened comically.

Young Link glared at Toon Link. "Toon Link. I am here to challenge you for the position of Smasher."

* * *

Whee. I think I did not write so well towards the end. But my favorite line in the whole thing was "the end was about to begin." Just though you all would want to know that...

So, was it really that big of a surprise? And what are the two aces in the hole? I bet you all know one, you smart cookies, but you'll never guess the other!

I hope my cliffhanger will not upset you too much. If this actually becomes the masterpiece I intend it to be, this could be the smallest cliff I make you hang from...

Enjoy your week, dear readers. Hopefully this hiatus will allow me some time to write the best damned fight sequence I've ever written.

--Blue.


	4. Starting to Fall Apart

Disclaimer: I don't own the SSB series, Nintendo owns everything. yay.

Oh yeah, a side note: In this story, Sheik is a girl. While Sheik looks-and sounds- male, I really don't think Zelda would change..._all that_...just for a disguise.

Well, I got back from vacation about a week ago, and then I couldn't think of anything. And when I did, school started and homework ate my time. So I hope this was at least a good chapter. And this turned out not to be "the best damned fight sequence I've ever written," because this is only my second one, and the fight scene in my other story was much more epic. Hey, it was a simple fight in Brawl. Not much you can do to epic-ify that. I mean, in the other one, Dark Link got a hold of the Fierce Deity Mask! How the heck am I supposed to beat that?! Oh yeah, as a present, you get another cliff hanger. Whee. Now since I'm boring you at this point, on with the fight!

* * *

Starting to Fall Apart

Within a minute of Young Link's announcement, half the Smash Manor was buzzing with the news.

All had been silent in the room for a moment, before Pichu came up, squeaking with false confusion. Mr. Game and watch joined in, asking Young Link why he was challenging Toon Link. Zelda, however, had slipped out the back door, ignoring the glance from Lyn.

Once in the hall, she began looking around for either Link or Ganondorf. As she walked down the hallways, she told everyone she met about Young Link's challenge, setting off the chain reaction throughout the Manor. By the time she had told Samus, Wolf, Captain Falcon, Wario, Jigglypuff, and Olimar, she had not come across either Smasher she was seeking. Finally, she threw her arms in the air in defeat and started walking back to the sitting room she had come from.

She had barely walked through her first door on her route back when she ran into a huge, armor-covered wall. Zelda bounced almost a foot back and heard a deep, throaty laugh. Zelda looked up into Ganondorf's face with a small glare, rubbing her sore nose. "Very funny. I bet you planned that, didn't you, Ganondorf?"

Still laughing, the Gerudo nodded.

Zelda sighed. "Ever the King of Evil," she said resentfully, causing him to laugh even more. Then, Zelda turned serious. "But really. Have you heard the news?"

Ganondorf stopped chuckling. "You mean about Young Link?" Zelda nodded. Ganondorf grimaced. "That's just great, it really is. We've barely settled down since the Brawl characters joined, and he feels the need to stir up a commotion? I wish the Ocarina Link hadn't given up his position to the Twilight one. I need to ask him if he had a mental condition in his youth."

Zelda nodded stiffly, worry obscuring the joke. "Link needs to be told. He might be able to deter Young Link. But that's not what worries me. Lyn and Roy were there, too."

Ganondorf frowned. Was this a joint plan?

Zelda gave him no time to wonder. "We'll worry about that later. Let's find Link."

* * *

Master Hand sighed in exhaustion when Wario finished his speech. "I'm still finishing paperwork from the introduction of Brawl," the glove groaned. "Could he have picked a worse time to do something like this?"

Crazy Hand floated over to his brother, patting the right hand's wrist. "Technically, yes. He could have done it right in the thick of creating Brawl. But really, what are you going to do?"

Master Hand lay limply on the desk. Even Crazy Hand got his head out of the clouds when he had heard about Young Link. The leading glove had no idea what he was going to do. Should he call Young Link in for a talk? Give him his match? Refuse him?

The office was silent for a minute as Master Hand contemplated his decision. Finally, the glove rose of his desk, and, in an exhausted voice, said, "Prepare for a match. I will be there briefly to explain the rules."

* * *

By now, the hallways were mostly empty. Master Hand had given Young Link his match. By now, the two Links were preparing in two different rooms, and everyone else was making their way to the Midair Stadium.

Two people were moving against the flow of traffic. Sheik was dodging the crowd, Ganondorf on her tail, mercilessly running over people in an attempt to keep up with her. It was times like these that the Princess threw away her composure. Nearly every other word coming out of her mouth was one that neither Lucas nor Ness should hear. Right now, she was cursing the fact that she had not gone to see Master Hand herself, as she was the only one who seemed to have noticed Lyn and Roy. She was also cursing the hero's amazing ability to disappear at times such as these.

Last month, with the introduction of the new Smashers, he and Marth had been given the task of giving Ike and Toon Link a tour around the Smash Mansion and helping them get settled in. Link had kept the other three waiting for _hours_ before Link had come back from a fishing hole no one in Smashville had known they had. Zelda had kicked his ass in a Brawl shortly thereafter in retaliation, but a Brawl was the last thing anyone in the Manor needed right now. Sheik gritted her teeth.

"Oh, when I get my hands on him...!"

Ganondorf, jogging at a good pace behind her, rolled his eyes. It was like, _tradition_, for Link to vanish. She should have gotten used to it by now. But for once, he agreed with her; Link's habit of disappearing was really, _really_ annoying.

Sheik all but annihilated a doorway to an outdoor target practice area. Even Ganondorf, stopping a safe distance in the doorway, could tell that her already-red eyes could burn somebody into the ground with the fury they contained.

Link, oblivious of the arrival of the two, was strapping a bomb to an arrow. He calmly fitted it to the bowstring, pulled it back, aimed, and fired. It was an obvious bulls-eye, but unfortunately, there was no target to prove it. Several burning pieces of charred black wood fell to the ground and smoldered in the grass, and what remained upright was smoking insanely. Pit, who had been watching Link, doubled over in laughter.

Sheik quietly drew some needles and rubbed them together, letting the metal click and slide.

Pit and Link turned around, still laughing. In less than two seconds, their faces lost all mirth and blood and displayed similar variations of "oh shit!". Sheik played with the needles in her hands, wondering if she should hurt the hero. She eventually decided against it and said in a very obviously controlled voice, "Link."

"Y-yeah, Sheik?" Link asked tentatively. Zelda, no matter which form, was scary as hell when she was this mad.

Sheik closed her eyes slowly, deliberately, and took a deep breath, exhaling it in a sigh. her knuckles turned white as she clenched the needles in her hands tighter than ever.

"What is it, Sheik?" Link asked quietly, still worried about her obvious fury.

WHAT _IS _IT?!" Sheik shrieked, red eyes flying open, voice soaring into a surprisingly high octave, "WHAT _IS IT?!_ HOW ABOUT THE FACT THAT I COULD NOT FIND YOU FOREVER BECAUSE OF YOUR _STUPID_ HABIT OF DISAPPEARING, WHEN YOUNG LINK IS CHALLENGING TOON LINK TO A BRAWL FOR THE POSITION OF SMASHER?!?!?"

Before Link could close his dropped jaw and ask, "What?", Sheik was flying at him, tossing needles at his face. Link dodged with an "Oh Shit!" but could not counter as Sheik jumped on him from overhead and proceeded to alternately shake him and beat him, screaming profanities the entire time.

Pit, being the smart angel that he was, quietly began inching towards safety. When he was standing next to Ganondorf in the doorway, he muttered, "exactly how long were you looking for Link?"

Ganondorf leaned down, and muttered in just as quiet a voice, "Three minutes."

* * *

In the Midair Stadium, Zelda gave an angry "hmph," before folding her arms, turning away from Link, and fixing her eyes on the arena. Because of Link, she said, they had gotten horrible seats, all the way in the back. Though they could see the arena without someone's head in the way, they couldn't view the battle close up, like all the other Smashers below them. Still angry at the earnestly apologizing hero, she refused to sit next to him. Pit ended up in between her and Link with Ganondorf on Link's other side.

From one side of the stadium, Toon Link appeared, looking as nervous as a Zora above the Death Mountain Crater. Young Link sauntered in from the opposite side, still wearing his determined gaze. Silence greeted them to the battlefield.

From two other doorways underneath the stands came the Hands. Crazy Hand, actually still for once, floated to the edge of the arena and froze in midair, full of tension.

Master Hand glided over the the Smashers even more slowly than his twin, and his fingers seemed limp, tired with fatigue. He had actually forsaken sleep the night before, and was regretting it. He gave one last sigh, and addressed the Stadium, mainly the two Links in front of him.

"This match is one that will determine which Link in front of me stays, or becomes, a Smasher," the hand began. "To make this match completely fair and unbiased, this Stadium will not experience any tier changes or hazards. There will be no items, not even a Smash Ball. This will be a Stamina Match. The first person to fall loses. Do you understand?

The Links nodded.

Master Hand backed up. "Go to opposite ends of the stage. Crazy and I will referee this match. At my command, you may begin the match. Are you ready?"

Both Link's nodded, readying their swords.

"GO!" Master Hand yelled.

Young Link immediately charged, raising his sword at Toon Link. he leaped over the arrow Toon Link sent his way and prepared to drive the Kokiri Sword into Toon's head. However, Toon dodged a raised his Master Sword at Young Link, who was falling to the ground.

Young Link attempted to drive himself into air away from Toon as he fell, but the sword still grazed him, much to the delight of several Smashers, whistling, clapping, and cheering in the stands.

Young grimaced in irritation. He swung his sword at Toon again, only to meet a much longer, stronger-looking sword. The swords bounced off each other, and both Links' swords ricocheted backwards. Young took advantage of this to roll backwards, take out his boomerang, and toss it at Toon.

Toon got a blow to the face, sending him backwards. On the return trip, the boomerang clipped him in the back of the head, and he fell face-first into the ground. He stood up, dusting off his tunic, and barely managed to avoid a slash of Young's Sword. Toon called up a shield, protecting him from a furious flurry of blows, and as Young Link ceased his attack momentarily, he dropped the defense and drew Young towards him with his hookshot.

The two Links stared each other in the face as Toon delivered several well-aimed punches. However, Young quicky broke free, responding with a bomb. He rolled over to Toon's other side and slashed him into the explosion.

Covered in burns, Toon Link stood up from the explosion. He frowned at the screen to one side of the stadium, worried about how low his health had become. The board was reading the time into the match, as well as the Stamina remaining of the Links: Toon Link, 57, Young Link, 63.

Toon Link blinked, and returned his gaze to Young Link, still looking up at the board. Toon snarled, dashing at his unwary opponent, sword raised.

Young Link was hit by the attack before he had a chance to dodge. As he flew upwards, he caught a glipse of Toon under him, ready to smash him upwards as he fell. He took another look at the board. Toon Link 57, Young Link 50.

Young Link 38. The split-second lapse in concentration had really cost Young Link, but another look down told Young that Toon was planning on doing the same trick twice. This time, Young willingly spiraled down, pulling out of wild twists and the last second, drawing his sword to smash down.

Toon had still not gotten his sword up into the air as Young came down, and ended up getting struck into the ground with Young's sword. He rolled around Young Link, and delivered him a forward smash.

Young Link careened through the air, saving himself only by shifting his wieght and angling his body towards the stage. As he clung to the sides of the stadium, he took another look at the Stamina. Toon Link 41, Young Link 14.

Toon Link was running towards the edge Young Link hung off of, waiting to deliver a finishing blow. Thinking quickly, Young Link climbed up on stage.

_One ace in the hole down, one left_, he though grimly as he pulled out his trademark bottle and taunted Toon Link, running at him with sword raised.

One gulp, two gulp, three. Young Link sighed contentedly as the milk washed down his throat, filling him with life energy...

Suddenly, the crowd collective gasped. All of a sudden, Young Link's Stamina had gone from 14 to 64! Young Link doubled over in laughter as he caught sight of Toon Link's face, a mixture of incredulity, fear, and anger.

With a yell, Toon charged.

Young Link yawned and leaped over him, landing behind Toon as Toon swung his sword up. He raised his shield to block incoming strikes, and then went for a low jab at his feet. Toon Link tripped, and Young Link jumped into the air and prepared to drive his sword down on top of Toon. Toon rolled to the side and slashed at Young Link, but after two hits Young had backed up far enough to avoid the shots, and took out his boomerang, hitting Toon Link in the forehead. Young Link 58, Toon Link 33.

Toon Link fell backwards, and Young Link hesitated only slightly before advancing. He rolled back as Toon Link got up, slashing his sword, grabbed his boomerang on its return flight, and threw it at Toon Link again. This time, it only grazed his shoulder. Young Link whipped out his own Hookshot, dragged Toon in, and returned to him in kind what Toon had given him before in punches and kicks. Young Link 58, Toon Link 20.

Catching sight of the damage ratio, Toon Link did a series of rolls away from Young Link. From one side of the stadium, he fit an arrow to his bowstring and pulled it taut, aiming for Young Link's chest.

Young Link smirked. _I guess the second ace in the hole is down, too. Two can play at that game!_

From his pouch, Young Link pulled out...a stick.

Toon Link blinked, distracted. Did the fool honestly mean to try and hit him with a Deku Stick? Tiny little gasps of laughter came from Toon Link's mouth, but he did not double over.

The majority of the crowd began to echo Toon Link's sporadic laugh. What kind of attack was that? How could Young Link possibly hit Toon Link with a stick when he had had trouble before with a Kokiri Sword?

Young Link sighed, and pulled a Deku Nut out of his pouch, fitting it to his slingshot. he frowned, took aim, and hit Toon Link squarely in the head.

Even as low as Toon Link's Stamina was, the nut did only four damage. However, the second it hit the ground, it burst in a flash of light, decreasing the health by two more and causing Toon Link to stumble around, blinded by the flash.

Taking advantage of this, Young Link ran right up to Toon Link. He unsheathed his sword, powered up a Smash Attack, and swung it at Toon Link with everything he had.

Almost comically, Toon Link went flying beyond the boundaries, and, with a pained yell and a flash of light, got KO'ed in the air. For five full seconds, the entire Midair Stadium was dead silent. The Smashers all had stunned looks on their face, while most of the Omnipresent was smiling of smirking. Young Link whipped out his bottle of milk and took gulps again, restoring his health to 100.

After recovering his senses, Master Hand floated over to the victorious Link while Crazy hand flew away to find and heal Toon Link.

Master Hand paused before speaking. "You fought a good fight. As the victor, you are reinstated as a Smasher. However, I must ask you about the milk and the slingshot."

"Well, milk helps me recover some damage. In this case, 50 percent, same as a Maxim Tomato. And the slingshot, I just switched my bow for it. It's my new B move."

Master Hand sighed. More complications. But all he said was, "Very well. Tomorrow we will hold a ceremony for your reinstatement. Until then, get some rest." Young Link nodded, and walked back into his prep room, to shower and relax after the fight. The Stadium gave him round of applause, hesistant at first, but then accepting, and everyone filed out of the seats and back into the Manor.

* * *

The Manor was once again buzzing, this time with talk of Young Link's victory. Toon Link and Crazy Hand still hadn't reappeared, and many of the Omnipresent were in the basement celebrating the success.

However, three Smashers were sitting in Master Hand's office, somber once again. After hearing about the presence of Lyn and Roy, Master Hand was once again lying limply on his desk. An age passed before he rose, tired as ever, and said, "Watch out for those three for me, will you? Whenever you see them, keep tabs on whatever they are doing. I will call a meeting for all Smashers but Young Link. Pass the word around to all of them."

"Surely you don't think it's that serious?" Link said, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, sure they were there, but they could have been walking in instead of flanking him, or trying to persuade him out of it. Maybe they were helping him train for the fight, sure, but is it cause for so much alarm?"

Master Hand shook himself side to side. "No, this is more serious than it looks. Something greater than this lies in wait, I can feel it. And something must be done, before it's too late to stop it."

* * *

Young Link walked into his room and heaved a sigh of relief. He had been avoiding glares, questions, and curious looks all day. The Omnipresent had congratulated him, and had approved an idea he had to further their aims. In the dark and quiet of his room, Young Link took out a cell phone Waluigi had kindly lent him, and dialed a number he'd been given. After several rings, an annoyed voice answered. "Hello, may I help you?"

"Yeah," Young Link said, somewhat quietly. "I need you to connect me to someone."

"What?" the voice said, not hearing Young Link.

After several minutes of a shouting match over the phone, Yong Link crawled under his bed and began speaking in a normal volume. Once the mysetery person at the other end knew who he wanted to speak to, he became immediately more cheerful, and connected quite willingly.

A new voice picked up the phone. With an ethereal laugh, a girl asked, "Hello?"

Without bothering to introduce himself, Young Link asked, "Is there anyone with you?"

The girl's voice became confused. "Well, yes...just Stupid," she said, giggling as her neighbor gave a bloodcurdling shriek. The shriek became louder as she put the phone on speaker at Young Link's request.

Into the phone, Young Link whispered their two names. "My name is Young Link."

The two, who had been arguing on the other end, froze. "_Young_ Link?" they said together.

"Yup!" Young Link said. "You met normal grown-up Link, didn't you?"

"Yeah!" The girl said, while the man with her muttered, "Unfortunately."

"Well, I'm at the Smash Manor with him, and I came to invite you to Super Smash Bros, Brawl," Young Link said.

Once again, the voices on the other end grew silent.

"So that's where Link and Zelda and Ganondorf went!" the girl said. "Why weren't we invited?" she asked, angrily.

"I'm not in charge, don't blame me," Young Link said. "But listen, there's going to be a lot going on at the Smash Manor now. I was a Smasher in Melee, but not in Brawl, but I just got my title back. There's an entire underground group that's just formed devoted to taking back the Smash Mansion! And we're inviting you to join us, for the chance to be Smashers."

The two began whispering with each other, arguing about whether this was a good idea or not. Eventually, the male spoke. "What do we have to do?"

"Not much," Young Link said. "Basically, create a set of moves and then get to Smashville without anyone seeing you. The Smash Manor is the biggest building in town. My room is in a stone tower, where Link and Zelda and Ganondorf also have their rooms. I'll mark my room with a Deku spiral symbol, and then you sneak in when you get there, alright?"

Two affirmations were heard on the other end.

"Very well, then," Young Link said," I'll see you two soon." And with that, he hung up.

The male laid the phone down into its holder and turned to his companion. "Pack your bags," he said, grinning with glee. "We're going to Smashville."

* * *

Like, ohmygod. Who was Young Link talking to? Well, you'll never guess. Just like I said you'd never guess the Fairy Slingshot. For all of you who got that the first ace in the hole would be his Lon Lon Milk, good job! So if you do guess, and get it right, you get a virtual cookie.

As I was writing this little thing at the end, I was listening to the Oath to Order. I found that ironic, just so you know. But the Song of Healing is the best MM song.

Well, I don't know how else to end this chapter, so I'm ending it now. Review if you can, and have a good time until I update again!

...OH!! I remembered! If anyone has any suggestions for guys' names, I'll see if I like any you suggest. The fifth chapter will not appear until I have at least one name, because it is CRUCIAL!!


	5. Beginning of a Breakdown

Disclaimer: I don't own SSBB, Nintendo does.

Well, after almost two weeks of inactivity, homework, writer's semi-block, and various other pathetic excuses, I have finally managed to update, and I hope that I have given you a quality chapter.

Now, before I start the chapter, I will give a special thanks to **Mantis 09, **for pointing out an error in one of my previous chapters, which inadvertently revealed one of my two mystery characters. If the site cooperates, it should have been changed. I wrote the end of the fourth chapter completely impromptu, resulting in my oversight. I will try to make sure that does not happen again, but if it does, please bear with me. and again, Mantis, thank you very much.

Another note before I begin: I came up with a stupid name for the Pokemon Trainer. And no, it's not the agreed upon "Red". Red is a stupid name, in my opinion, and I am allowed to be creative. So you're just going to have to put up with it, because it's not changing!

Also, responding to a review, I do not view any clone characters as 'better" than anyone. I am sorry to single you out, but I honestly do not remember saying any one character was better than another. If I have, please tell me.

Before I think of more notes to add, let's get started!

* * *

Beginning of a Breakdown

Night. The time of lesser light. Full of shadows, full of darkness. Full of mystery. And above all, full of opportunities for sneaking somewhere.

Being as they were, it had been no trouble to sneak into town without being noticed. That rustle in the bushes was a light wind, an insect. That speck of movement over there was a trick of the eyes, a waving leaf.

Side by side, two of the most unlikely of companions snuck into Smashville in the dead of night. With shadows as their companions, they made their nearly-silent way to the huge mansion in the center of town.

Young Link had not lied; this was bigger than Hyrule Castle. However, there was only one medieval-styled tower, hard to miss. In a flash of black particles, the two had materialized at the base.

"Where's his window?" the girl asked, floating around a little bit, trying to see the Deku spiral.

her male companion stared up at the tower through stone eyes, perfectly still. Though his eyes were hidden, he was scanning the walls for any sign of the symbol.

Suddenly, the girl floated from around the turn of the tower and whispered, "I found it!"

The masked man turned to her and walked calmly after the giggling girl. She stopped and pointed upwards before jumping into the air and floating to the window, dancing in the air.

The man blinked, though of course this could not be seen, and floated up after her, albeit in a more controlled manner.

Sure enough, the symbol was drawn in charcoal on the shutters of the window. It was hard to see against the dark wood, and almost impossible to see on a moonless night such as this one.

Bubbles started appearing around the girl's figure, and she flew straight through the window. Once again, the man floated after her, calm as ever.

Inside, the girl was almost invisible in her black cloak, if one view her from the back. However, as her friend was looking at her from a frontal point of view, the internal material of her cloak, which was a cool neon green, glowed with an ethereal light in the darkness. Her flame-orange hair also served as a sort of torch. His own clothes were decorated with enough neon-green and glowing-red lines to give him some visible outline.

The girl was spinning around the room, laughing lightly. Then, she caught sight of Young Link in his small bed, sleeping soundly, oblivious to the entrance of the two.

"So this is Little Link!" the girl said, her strange otherworldly voice echoing in the silence eerily. "How cute!"

"He is _Young_ Link," the male said crisply. "And you call _me_ Stupid."

"I'd smack you with my ponytail if I was in my second form," the girl said. "Anyway, have you ever heard of nicknames? Sheesh."

"You _are_ Stupid," the man said. "It was _your_ idea to come here in the middle of the night. You get to explain this in the morning."

"Aw, we'll just pop out of shadows and say good morning, and that'll be explanation enough!" The girl said cheerfully. "Now, try to get some sleep, Ant, we have a long day tomorrow!"

The masked mas started growling as he heard the girl taunt him. "My name is _Zant_, foolish girl," he hissed.

Midna laughed. "Look who the foolish one is, the one that got stabbed through the stomach by a magic he deemed "ancient and withered"! Go find a shadow to sleep in, Zant. If we end up having to fight each other for a position as Smasher, I don't want to win _too_ easily." With that, Midna dove under the bed, occupying the shadow there.

Zant snarled at Midna's implication that he was weak. She more than anyone should know that that was not the case. However, he heeded her words, and vanished into the closet as nothing more than an incorporeal shadow.

* * *

The morning was a beautiful. Mondays were busier, it was true, but not tedious. There was not a cloud in the sky, and the sun was streaming brightly into Young Link's room.

The young Hylian squinted as the sunlight hit his face. He rolled over in bed and groaned when he realized that sleep was lost to him. Instead, he sat up in his bed, stretching his arms and yawning loudly.

"Morning, Little Link!"

Young Link jumped, and yelled in shock, but his mouth was quickly covered by something black. "Shut up!" a male's voice hissed. "Do you want the rest of the Mansion to find out we're here?!"

Young Link blinked. Simultaneously, Midna and Zant threw away the shadows that had been cloaking them. He smiled at them, and got out of bed. "You got here fast."

"Of course," Zant said, turning his masked face to Midna in a clearly disapproving tone. "I wanted to wait until morning and arrive on the train, like normal people, but Midna insisted on using shadows to travel directly here. Did you really have to startle him like that?" he asked Midna.

"He would have been startled either way," Midna said, rolling her eyes. "There's no point in getting worked up."

"Well, that's all over now," Young Link said. "Although you might want to get out of here and come in on the train, so that it looks like this wasn't conspired. I think that the Smashers would start to get suspicious. I have an idea."

"Let's hear it!" Midna said.

"Alright, you go back to the Zelda Lounge until Toon Link comes back, and then say you heard about his defeat then. Then come and try out for the position of Smashers. it will make nobody suspicious about the Omnipresent."

"So you mean we came all this way for nothing?" Zant asked.

"I didn't actually think you'd start packing the moment you hung up the phone," Young Link said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Nice going, Ant," Midna said. "Now we've got to get back to the Lounge, and soon."

"You were more excited than me!" Zant snapped.

"You were the one who decided to go immediately!" Midna retaliated.

"Calm down!" Young Link hissed, glancing at his door, wary of eavesdroppers. "Just go the moment you can, you have no time to argue about this!"

The Twili looked at each other and nodded grimly. Young Link was right. They would hide during the day, and sneak back out the moment the sun set.

* * *

Jaye the Pokémon Trainer thought the same as the rest of the Smashers: Young Link had rigged his fight, and Toon Link had unfairly lost his battle. However, Young Link had made a good point. If he couldn't drink Lon Lon Milk, Luigi couldn't use his taunt to kick anymore. And anyway, Toon Link had never been seen again after the battle, though his room was now empty and completely clean. Grudgingly, Young Link was accepted into the ranks of the Smashers.

However, it was not before the Hands had called every Smasher but Young Link to their meeting room, where Master Hand made Zelda's revelation known to the rest of them. Ike and Marth promised to tail Roy and Lyn as best they could, with the aid of several other Smashers. By now, everyone was alert for any signs of unusual activity among the non-Smasher community of Smash Mansion.

Jaye frowned. What could possibly be going on? If Young Link had gotten fed up with being an ex-Smasher, then Roy, Dr. Mario, Pichu, and Mewtwo certainly wouldn't be far behind.

Come to think of it... Pichu and Mewtwo had been acting chummy lately... _unusually_ chummy.

Jaye struggled to stay calm, ignoring the adrenaline his revelation had given him. Should he try to find them immediately, or tell the Hands? If he told the Hands, he would have the support of all the other Smashers behind him in watching out for the Pokémon. If he found them immediately, he might have to confront them, and that was not something he wanted to do. But, with so many people swarming around the Smash Mansion, time might be of the essence. Jaye stood in the deserted hallway, wondering what to do.

After a minute's contemplation, he looked up and made his way, as quietly as he could, to the Pokémon Playroom.

The Trainer's body went into autopilot, turning right at the end of one hallway, up a set of stairs at another, and three doors down. Jaye sincerely hoped that he would find nothing out of the ordinary in the room.

Without bothering to knock, he opened the door. He did, in fact, find nothing out of the ordinary. Because he found nothing at all.

Jaye frowned. Many of the Pokémon used this room at this time of day. In finding nothing, he'd found something strange after all.

Somehow, though the hallway was silent, Jaye noticed that someone was at the top of the stairs he had come up. Jaye turned his head slowly. Pichu, having not seen him, had stopped at the top of the stairs, beckoning to a companion Jaye could not see from where he stood. Pichu bounded down the stairs, followed by Articuno, Raikou, and several of the Unknown. None of them spared Jaye a glance.

Something unusual was definitely going on. And now, there was no turning back. If Jaye didn't figure out was going on, he might never be able to again. As quietly as he could, he made after the Pokémon.

They were being very cautious. The group was meandering around the Mansion aimlessly, an occasional Pokémon joining their ranks. Eventually, though, the group descended down a long flight of winding stairs into a dank, and rarely accessed, utility basement. The other basements were more hospitable to recreation and leisure time, but the one they chose housed all the electric circuits, the bare plumbing, the abandoned crates of objects, and best of all, little to no attention.

Though it was central in the Smash Mansion, nobody ever went down to that basement, and the stairway was all but nonexistent. The maze of halls at the center also helped give it less attention. The stairway also happened to be located in a rather empty hall, and surrounded on three sides by walls from adjoining rooms. The troupe of Pokémon trailed down the stairs. Pichu knocked on the door twice in fast succession, and once afterwards. The darkness within admitted them, and Jaye could faintly hear Mewtwo welcoming them from his hiding spot behind the wall at the entrance to the staircase.

the door creaked shut with quietly; Jaye peeked around the corner and noticed that they had oiled the door and coated the edges with little layers of soft fabric. _Clever...they certainly are clever, I'll give them that. _Jaye tiptoed down the staircase as soon as he was sure nobody would be listening for intruders. He furtively put his ear to the door, straining his ears to hear the quiet conversation.

"I'm glad you were able to make it," Mewtwo said, obviously to the newcomers. "Did you see anyone on your way down here?"

"Pichu, Pichu!"

"Good," Mewtwo said. "Now listen up. We need to come up with a plan to get us back in the spotlight of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. You have all been retired from the list of Pokemon that are allowed to come out of the Brawl-issued Pokeballs. And I understand that you wish to actually be doing something here."

Several Pokemon calls answered Mewtwo's stated question.

"We will come up with a plan to restore you to your places. But if you wish, you can also become Smashers. Maybe not all of you, but some of you. You must think up a move set, though. And then, I suppose, you need to fight someone and win to get inducted into the ranks of the Smashers. Young Link already completed his trial, so he'll be our main spy until we get other people into the ranks. I am going to call a larger strategy meeting later."

Jaye's heart nearly stopped on several occasions. There really _was_ an uprising! And Mewtwo, Pichu, and potentially anyone who wasn't a Smasher, was a part of it! He was about to break away from the door to go upstairs, but Mewtwo began speaking again. "Now, there is only one more matter to take care of..."

Jaye strained his ears more, but the basement was perfectly silent. After a moment, there was the muffled sound of movement within the room, and then, a sort of blinking sound.

With a metallic creak, the door began to open.

Jaye's heart skipped a beat, adrenaline raced through him again, and he made to run up the stairs at breakneck speed. However, that was before another stimulus made his heart freeze, and his blood run cold.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Jaye turned, and saw Mewtwo behind him. The Pokemon's eyes glowed orange, and that was the last thing Jaye remembered before blacking out.

* * *

And once again, I am not satisfied with the ending.

I am certainly making you hang off a lot of cliffs... And while I am getting bored of it myself, it just seems to happen... And besides, where would the fun be without beautiful cliffies?!

Mmm... so many things happening now, I'm afraid I'll end up overwhelming the story. Can't have this moving too fast now, can we?

So, once again, I thank Mantis 09 for pointing out that I mentioned Midna in chapter 2. You have my gratitude. (I almost had a heart attack after reading the review, though...)

So, I'll update this when I can, and for all of you impatients out there, I say quality over quantity. Otherwise, this will turn into a byproduct of my RHOS (Random Humorous Oneshot Syndrome).

I hope you enjoyed Chapter Five. See you again in Chapter Six! --Blue.


	6. Omnipresence

Disclaimer: I don't own Super Smash Bros.

Well this is sort of a filler-ish chapter, and its meaning will become clear in the end. I might never include a chapter like this again, but if I do, tough luck. And it is slightly crackish, but I have already planned the end. Hopefully, the end will not be too bad, but it isn't fora long ways yet!

* * *

The Omnipresence

_The Omnipresent?_

_...They know nothing of omnipresence. The fools, they should have simply stuck with a name like the Group or the Rebels or the Trash...but who can blame them, weak as they are..._

_They are most certainly not ever-present. They are not everywhere at once. They are not me, the Omnipresence. They fancy themselves powerful, unstoppable, invincible. What, then, if you tear yourselves apart?_

_And you, my foolish Smashers, what will you do? Not even your all-powerful Hands can divert this disaster. There is no stopping the waves of chaos that are about to engulf this place. Even I can see that, I who am not omniscient or omnipotent. Though I certainly don't fall far short..._

_What will you do, you pathetic Omnipresent? How will you achieve your goals? The Smashers will strike back soon, once they realize one of their own is missing. Ah, the pace will quicken for you then, but time is against everyone in this game of yours. I doubt you understand the gravity of what you have done, Omnipresent. Or what you are about to do, Smashers. And only I can put and end to all this, when I feel the time is right..._

_...Ah, even now, a third party enters your little fray... something no one could have forseen is about to happen. And it's all thanks to that new little Smasher..._

_This should be fun..._

_

* * *

_Double dose of story for you all. And no, you'll never guess who the Omnipresence is. --Blue.


	7. Déja Vu

Disclaimer: I don't own SSBB, SSBM, SSB, or any of Nintendo's characters, franchises, etc...

my little Christmas gift to you. Short and evil, but I'm tired. And I'm listening to Shallow Bay, not that you cared. But, I will get the next chapter up by the end of break, so don't worry.

* * *

Déja vu

_Where...am I...? What happened..._

It hurt to think even that much. Trying to contain his headache, Jaye kept his eyes shut and tried to remember.

Young Link beating Toon Link...the unusual friendship of Pichu and Mewtwo..._Mewtwo_. And then that stupid stun-glare thing that had knocked him and was probably the reason Jaye's brain felt like it pounded with its own heart beat, his head hurt that bad. And thanks to Mewtwo, Jaye was probably in the middle of nowhere.

The telltale click of a doorknob, the accompanying squeak of an opening door, and the following weak orange beam of incandescent light hurt even though Jaye had kept his eyes screwed shut. On instinct, he groaned and turned his head away from the source of pain.

Suddenly, he felt something cold and wet being placed on his forehead. A washcloth.

"Pichu Pichu?"

Jaye's eyes flew open in surprise, a move he almost immediately regretted. He turned to see the little mouse thankfully in the shadows, offering the Trainer a cup of water and an aspirin. Jaye took them gratefully and after downing the cup of water in one gulp, asked, "Where am I?" He had intended his voice to be firm, but it came out confused and raspy. Sitting up, he noticed that he was wrapped in blankets and actually rather comfortable. So, even the rebel group had some kindness...

For explanation, Pichu said, "Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu Pichu."

Jaye blinked twice before sighing. "I didn't understand anything you said, you know."

Pichu tilted his head in confusion before running to the next room on all fours. Jaye watched the little mouse until he was out of sight from the doorway. A moment passed before Pichu returned with Meowth.

"So, you're wondering what's going on," Meowth said.

Jaye nodded.

Meowth continued. "Well, from what we know you heard, you found out that there is an uprising. And we're a part of it. Some people who weren't selected to return from Melee to Brawl got...upset. And people who deserve to be in Super Smash Bros, well, they're just impatient. I sympathized with the Omnipresent, because I understand how they feel. We don't want to kick everyone from Brawl out, though."

"Then what was with Toon Link?" Jaye asked, frowning.

"Unavoidable. Then there would be three Links," Meowth explained simply. "We want to _share_ the spotlight in Brawl. Not take it. We don't want the place to fall apart."

"Everyone's mad about the whole Toon Link-Young Link thing, though," Jaye said. "And everyone already knows that something's up. I may be the only one, but now that I've disappeared, it won't be long before everyone else realizes that there's this group down here." He allowed smugness to color his voice. "So, even if you do let me go, everyone will find out, and then we'll stop you."

"We won't be stopped."

Meowth, Pichu, and Jaye all looked up as Mewtwo glided over from the door.

Jaye glared at him. "Bastard."

"Do you think I was about to just let you go after you had found out about the Omnipresent?" Mewtwo asked.

"The Omnipresent? That's what you're calling yourselves?" Jaye scoffed. "Not very terrifying."

"That's not its point," Mewtwo said. "It means that no matter what anyone does, we will always be here, ready to fight again. I highly doubt that you can understand how angry and upset it makes someone when they find out they are "retired". You feel let down and hopeless at first. You've been replaced. You are not necessary, not unique. Dispensable. maybe it's egocentric, but we were all loved and admired when we fought, and now we have all faded into obscurity. Just ask Pichu."

The mouse visibly deflated, saddened by his memories of when Master Hand had told him he would not be part of Brawl, at all. Pichu sighed.

Though he wouldn't let it show, this Jaye actually felt sympathy inside. But he frowned and turned to Mewtwo. "Well, if all you want to do is be a Smasher again, you're not doing it right. Instead of fighting and abduction," he said scathingly, "you could try asking the Hands, or trying out for the next game. When you replace people, they'll just want to do what you're doing to get back in."

"Toon Link is practically Young Link's clone. He _is_ Young Link's clone. And he's only one person. He can't do much of anything. We weren't even going to replace anyone else," Mewtwo said calmly. "We only want to get back in. You haven't been abandoned yet, but it's a horrible feeling. The feeling that you mean nothing, that you have a pointless existence. It leaves you empty, hollow, a useless shell."

Jaye blinked. He hadn't thought about it that way. This was the greatest chance he had been given in his lifetime, and if he had been treated that way...

He turned to Pichu, who was still wallowing in misery. He was nothing compared to Pikachu after all. He was a joke. A defunct shadow.

Brawl may have been his greatest break, but Jaye knew where his strongest loyalties lay. With his Pokémon.

"Maybe..." he said slowly, "Maybe I can help."

* * *

There was no shortage of stares as the two Twili walked off the train and out of the station. It was impossible for them not to attract attention, with their abnormal height, even taller than Ganondorf. Not to mention their strange skin colors and clothes, and the fact that they were arguing about something at the top of their lungs. Something about "winning" and "beating you every time". By the time they had arrived at the Smash Mansion, they had gathered quite a crowd around them.

As they entered the Mansion, everything fell silent.

"Where is Master Hand's office?" Midna demanded of a very terrified Lucas. Shaking, he pointed down a hall to his left.

"Thank you!" Midna said brightly, losing her evil aura in a second. She walked down the hall without a backwards glance, Zant following her, laughing quietly.

They gathered another good-sized crowd as the two Twili made their way to the office, earning wary looks from some people and dropped jaws from others. When a certain Hylian Hero turned a corner and bumped into an onlooker, Link almost fell backwards. "M-Midna?! What are you doing here?!"

"I can't let you have all the fun!" she said tersely, shoving everyone aside and barging into Master Hand's office.

Master Hand had been trying to catch up on work yet again when Midna kicked the door open. He looked up and saw a very determined-looking Twili and a very evil-looking madman staring down at him.

"What? What is it now?" he asked, in a weary, irritated voice.

"We want to try out for Super Smash Bros Brawl," Zant said in a slow, slippery voice.

Master Hand froze. _Again? Dear gods, what is the world coming to? I can't get a decent amount of work done, and now everybody is going to want to join Brawl thanks to Young Link's little stunt... I'm going to have to talk to him later..._

"Crazy!" Master Hand yelled.

Crazy flew in through the wall, startling all the Smashers and Midna and Zant and covering the Twili with sheetrock dust. "Yes?! Yes?! What do you need?!"

"These two want to try and join Brawl. You deal with it. I have _paperwork!_" Master Hand growled. Paperwork... his arch nemesis...

Crazy Hand turned to face Midna and Zant, pondering what to do with them. He was actually quite a clever hand, even if he was... hyper. He knew that there was trouble in the Mansion. If they were going to do a Young Link, two could play at that game...

Link was busy trying to talk them out of it. "You guys! We already have a lot of trouble going on here anyway! Young Link already beat Toon Link for his position, and apparently Roy and Lyn are acting weird too! Don't do this!"

"Link, stop trying to keep us out of everything," Midna said, waving his worries away.

This only made Link red in the face. "_Me?! _ Keeping _you _out of everything?! _You're_the one who didn't tell me you were the Twilight Princess and that Zant was a complete loony!" he yelled accusingly.

"How dare you?!" Zant yelled, forming a ball of dark magic in front of him.

"I know!" Crazy Hand suddenly said, making everyone jump.

"What...?" Link asked hesitantly.

Crazy Hand ignored them, facing Zant and Midna. "You two want to be Smashers?"

Midna slowly said "Yeah...." while Zant, annoyed, said, "Didn't we make that clear before?"

If Crazy Hand had a face, there would have been a very evil grin on his face. "Then fight each other for the job."

* * *

Ooh. Cliffie. I love cliffies.

I feel obliged to explain that school positively attacked since last update. Three essay/research paper thingies along with all your other classes doesn't leave much time to do anything...

Oh, who am I kidding. I am positively evil for not updating in two months...

Also, if any of you have read my _Gone Fishing _series in the Legend of Zelda section (_Gone Fishing, Gone Fishing 2: How it Really Went Down, Gone Fishing 3: Link's Final Stand, _and _Gone Fishing: The Fishing Failure Chronicles_), I am planning on making one final fishing story after the _Chronicles _are completed. It will be in the Super Smash Bros section, titled _The Fishing Tourney._

Hmmm... if you review, I ask you to include something this time around. who should win, Midna or Zant, and why?

I'm gonna go play Twilight Princess... CUZ I OWN IT, FINALLY!!! WHOOO!!!


	8. Shadows: Part One

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Finally got back to this, after skiing, finals, and annoying schoolwork. If you are ever asked to read "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau, run in the opposite direction, making sure to break the sound barrier. It made me, a native English-speaker, fail to understand English.

Enough of my woes. The battle I've kept you waiting for, and that I wrote between midnight and one in the morning, which seems to be my most creative hour. (I want a night job.) I read the reviews which stated their opinion, and I must say I was slightly surprised by the responses. However, my decision was made, and I did what needed to be done. The outcome is IMPORTANT.

It is time. Midna versus Zant.

* * *

Shadows: Part One

Midna and Zant were not the only ones gaping at Crazy Hand's announcement. Young Link, who had crept up behind Link as the elder tailed the two Twili, looked completely shocked at the hand's decision. A glance told him Roy felt the same way.

Crazy Hand's would-be evil grin grew as he caught the exchange. He barely restrained a wild laugh as he caught Marth frowning at it. His hand-body almost quivered with excitement as he focused on the two Twili, now glaring at each other, wishing each other to the deepest pits of hell.

_Divided they would fall_.

Their little rebellion would be crushed. It would all come unraveling. Fall to infinitely minute pieces, and swept away into indistinguishable blurs of dreams in a whirlwind of chaos. Lots and lots of chaos.

Because, after all, Crazy Hand _did_ love chaos.

* * *

Once again, everyone was filing into the Midair Stadium. However, this time, Link had rushed to a front row seat to cheer Midna on. Ganondorf had followed him, taking a seat on his right, not really sure who to support. Midna was his old enemy, but Zant was...Zant. Zelda sat on Link's left, cheering for Midna in her head but remaining silent. A small frown graced her face, as she was thinking troubling thoughts.

Up until they had been pitted against each other, Midna and Zant had shared an alliance of sorts, to achieve their own ends. And now that both could not get what they wanted, they were fighting. Again. For them, did their history define their fate? Were they to eternally fight? Though one would certainly fail, would it really stop that one from pursuing what both desperately craved? Just how far would they go to get what they wanted?

Crazy Hand had divided them very well. Cleanly in half.

When the Smash Manor was already cut in half.

* * *

Midna and Zant emerged from opposite sides to a stadium stifled in absolute silence. No knife could have cut the tension in the air, and it was mainly because the two were ready to continue their eternal battle against each other, two forces that never seemed to overcome each other.

Master Hand floated into the center, more hopeful and strong thanks to Crazy Hand's plan to turn any insurgents against each other.

"For this match, there are no special attributes. You each have one life. There is no time limit. One Smash Ball will be released at a random time. Are you ready?"

Midna slightly crouched into a ready position, while Zant remained motionless and unreadable behind his huge stone chameleon mask. Both nodded.

"Then begin!"

* * *

Jaye walked into the Stadium just as the match between Midna and Zant started. He took a glance at the fight and almost considered standing for the entire thing, but a cough from behind begged to differ with him. He quickly excused himself and moved out of the way, moving for the only vacant seat he saw in the third row.

Marth greeted him with a nod. "Hey, Jaye. Why're you late?"

"I was taking a nap," Jaye replied, sitting down. "Killer headache."

Well, it wasn't a lie.

"That sucks," Marth said. "Feeling better?"

"Much. Who do you want to win?"

"Well, from what I gathered from Link, Zant's a bad guy, so I want Midna to win."

"I don't really know who I hope will win," Jaye said. "So I guess we'll have to see how it goes."

Marth nodded and turned his attention back to the game.

The same frown on Zelda's face appeared on Jaye's as he watched the Twili fight.

* * *

The moment Master Hand had started the battle, Midna had charged Zant with a flurry of red energy balls and a snarl of pure hatred. Without moving a muscle, Zant levitated himself about seven meters into the air before bringing himself down with a bloodcurdling shriek and a heavy thud that shook the entire stadium.

Link recognized the move as the one Zant had tried to send him off-balance with when he impersonated Dangoro in the Goron Mines. "Damn," he muttered as he gripped his seat.

Midna had barely dodged Zant's first attack by flying three meters to the left in a cloud of thick bubbles, and while Zant was bringing himself down she began to prepare a stronger energy ball in her hands. It had broken the chain on Link's wolf paws, and it could no doubt break Zant's face.

Zant came crashing to the ground just as Midna released the ball, and though it did indeed strike him, it failed to "break his face", hitting him on his right arm. Midna swayed and found herself halfway in the ground as a result of Zant's attack, and by the time she had pulled herself out, Zant was unleashing his own volley of red energy balls at Midna in retaliation.

Uttering a low Twilan oath as three hit her, Midna rapidly rolled backwards, gliding in between the balls with frightening grace. "At least I got the first strike..." she muttered darkly, glaring at Zant as she retreated.

"But that's all you'll get, you fool!" Zant shouted. And suddenly he was the one charging her, shrieking once again and wielding two wicked-looking, slightly curved cleaver blades and hacking haphazardly in every direction with frightening speed. Midna was cut several times before she managed to leap five meters over his head and land a good half of the stadium away, while Zant, carried by the momentum of his attack, kept going forward several more steps.

It was then that Midna realized that she had not prepared many ranged attacks. Two variations of energy ball were about all she had up her sleeves. "Well, then, let's see how he likes this." She really hoped she had grown her hair long enough.

Zant slowed himself to a stop when he realized that Midna had escaped his blades. Turning, he made to go after her again, spinning like an out-of-control top, arms spread wide with the blades twisting into vicious teeth.

"Hey, Zant! Remember this?"

Blinding white, bloody red and blazing orange sped at him in the sharpest of spears, aimed once again at his stomach. The blast threw him back twice the distance he gained, and the usurper king landed in a heap at the far end of the stadium.

Winded, he turned half his stone-obscured gaze to Midna. "Bitch."

Midna giggled her ethereal giggle and smirked. "Well, it didn't have quite the desired effect, but I guess I'll have to take what I can get!" she taunted, ending in a loud voice as she jumped high up into the air again, creating her own replica of the sword Zant had forged from Twilight, preparing to drive it through him.

Thinking quickly, Zant got up and forged a huge sickening ball of red energy above his head which pulsated with black twilight. Midna's eyes widened as she realized what was about to happen and quickly altered her course. She failed to avoid it entirely, but escaped the worst.

"You have a gift for evasion," Zant hissed, his voice dripping with malice. "Befitting of such a cowardly ruler."

"_Cowardly?!_" Enraged, the Twilight Princess charged Zant, ponytail raised high, with the intent of sending enough electricity through the bastard's body to paralyze him forever. In her blind rage, Midna failed to realize that Zant was gathering energy for an attack.

A second before they were about to collide, Midna's eyes strayed to a colorful orb that had appeared high above Zant, floating over the field. The Smash Ball.

Change of plans. Midna slowly lowered her ponytail and crouched lower to the ground as she ran, preparing to spring.

Zant released the energy he had been building in a blast that surrounded him with light. He finally noticed that Midna had left the ground instead of preparing to attack him, and he followed her wide eyes as she was blasted away to find out why.

From behind his mask of stone, his greedy yellow pupils dilated with pleasure as they beheld the item that would grant him his victory. Poor Twilight Princess; her snap decision to chase the pretty ball had cost her her victory. Not that she ever had any chance, of course. Internally gloating, Zant raised himself off the ground once again, and as Midna got up at the other end of the field and ran towards him, he swept his arm to the side, giving the ball a good blast away from Midna. As he fell towards the ground, he guided himself after the ball, preparing to spring again.

"You will _not!!_"

Red energy balls hit him from behind, followed by Midna and several solid punches.

Zant shrieked; _she_ would not take his victory! No! _She would not win! NEVER!_

"Begone!" he screamed in a nearly unintelligible voice, waving his arm to the side once again and blasting Midna back half the distance she had run. Not waiting to see her fly back, he jumped into the air again and punched the ball.

He felt a surge of power flow through him, such as he had no possessed since Ganondorf had offered him his power. This was power, this was living, this was raw, unrestrained _ecstacy_! He laughed a jarring screech of a laugh and concentrated all his effort on what he was about to do.

* * *

"Damn it. MIDNA, LOOK OUT!" Link yelled, his voice hoarse from the cheering and booing he had done during the match.

Midna got up as Zant screeched and slowly got to her feet.

She had only the slimmest of chances of evading whatever Final Smash Zant had prepared. In terms of damage, they were about equal, she slightly more injured that he. But if she could just dodge his attack...

Suddenly, a horrible cacaphony filled the stadium, and what color was left in Link's and Midna's faces drained as they heard Zant's warped version of Blizzeta's theme. Though they were unaware of it, in perfect unison they muttered. "Shit..."

"What?" Zelda asked Link, insanely nervous. "What's he going to do?"

Zant roared, growing larger, and larger, and larger, covering half the stadium in his shadow, shocking everyone and demonstrating just "what" was so bad.

It couldn't be put any other way: Zant was fucking _huge_.

"RUN, MIDNA!" Link yelled desperately.

Midna didn't need to be told twice. The now extremely diminutive princess began a series of desperate jumps, dodges and rolls as she sought to avoid Zant's overwhelming mass from crushing her or pushing her off the edge. Though from the way he was jumping and stomping and shrieking and roaring, it seemed like the former.

Midna dashed to the other side of the stage. "He has to be shrinking sometime soon!" she whispered. Then her eyes widened. "Oh-"

Zant's massive foot collided with Midna's front and sent her hurtling off the stage with a desperate, pained shriek.

In the stands, Midna collided into Link, who managed to soften the blow. "Midna! Midna! Are you all right?!" the panicked Hylian shouted, shaking her.

Midna's eyes remained closed, but a solitary tear leaked out. "I...failed..."

* * *

Master Hand glided over to Zant as the maniacal Twili shrunk and descended to the center of the stage. The thunderous silence was filled with awe and shock at the intensity of the battle, and the vacuum it had left now that it was over.

Though Master Hand was impartial to all battles, he had felt adrenaline pulse through him the entire time as he watched the two aim death blow after death blow at each other. He raced to calm his nerves, and in as steady a voice as before, announced,

"The winner is Zant."


	9. Shadows: Part Two

Disclaimer: I don't own SSB

Stupid life, getting in the way of my precious stories... it's so much harder to write this one since it's serious, and randomly adding words to it in the middle of the night while I'm studying for exams without sugar or chocolate or something doesn't help. You don't want to _know_ how badly I managed to butcher the word "I".... Yes, I'm a horrible meany for not updating in three months and then giving people like three pages of tying-up-loose-ends crap. If anyone wants to help me get back at life, speak up.

Oh yeah, and I know Midna should have won. Midna's awesome. But don't you dare go saying Zant's stupid, because he's awesome too. I even wrote a little tribute to him, because I was feeling so dark and twisted at the time... Ahem, moving on. Don't think Midna's not through with him yet, though. She'd never go down like that.

* * *

Shadows: Part Two

Link held the defeated Twilight Princess in his arms even tighter as Master Hand named Zant the victor. He glanced worriedly down at Midna, who had forced herself into an unconsciousness, unwilling to face defeat and the humiliation in carried.

As he turned his gaze back up to the stage, where Zant was erratically jumping and wailing with untamed glee, his face transformed from an infinitely deep sea of pity and compassion to a furious dark storm.

Tonight there would be a congratulatory feast for Zant, and the next day, he would officially be a Smasher. A colleague. An equal.

Link had to repress a growl. Zant would _never _be an equal. Link would _never_ accept him.

* * *

Master Hand floated motionlessly over the center of the Stadium. Zant was putting on quite a victory show, and it was, to say the least, off-putting. It reminded him of Crazy Hand when he got... well, crazy.

And speaking of Crazy Hand...

Master Hand turned ever so slightly to catch the left hand in the edge of his vision. He was certainly lively after this battle; who wouldn't be, after such an exciting match? But there was something...some elusive something, that was... _different_. Crazy Hand, equally brilliant as the right hand, preferred not to put his brilliance to use, allowing Master Hand to run the Smash Bros and watch over his World of Trophies, leaving Crazy Hand free to run amok and do as he pleased. Crazy Hand's decision to pit the rebels against each other was a rare flash of insight. That was a change.

Although, that might be attributed to the nagging feeling in the back of Master Hand's mind. The right hand recalled his words to Link after the brawl between Young Link and Toon Link: "_Something greater than this lies in wait, I can feel it_."

Was it the something? The corners of his mind were constantly grasping at an elusive, slippery unknown. The something he kept feeling but never reaching was undoubtedly trying to make itself known, bring itself out into the open. Crazy Hand, being his alter ego, would probably have felt it too, would have felt, by something more powerful and more tangible than instinct, that something was wrong in the Manor, as if their presence had been spread everywhere, but blindfolded, deprived of clarity in their senses. Yes, that had to explain his behavior. He was in sync with Master Hand, and he would support the Smash Bros leader. It was his way of acting as a team.

And then, there was the entire scenario itself. The Smash Manor had to deal with an uprising of potentially anyone who wasn't a Smasher. _That _certainly didn't happen every week. Master Hand hoped this wouldn't turn into some sort of obscure pattern or spiral wildly out of control. The introduction of Brawl had already caused enough excitement, and it was time for things to resume normally. Master Hand would call a meeting after the congratulatory feast. He would call all his loyal, longtime Smashers to help him restore order.

Master Hand liked order.

* * *

The long table where the Smashers and Assistants ate dinner was nosier than usual, if such a thing was possible. Many people were trying to include Zant in the conversations they were having, or otherwise asking him questions or simply staring at him with awed faces, and the Twili was nearly vibrating with excitement and happiness. This was acceptance, this was power, triumph, glory.

While Zant basked in this light, several of the Smashers refrained from talking to him.

Link was, of course, still furious, and the emotion that had reduced itself to glowing embers had begun roaring in earnest again as the dinner started. In an attempt not to glare at everyone and everything in his line of sight, he had engrossed himself with the meal and refused to talk to anyone.

Link liked being able to help his friends, and protect them when needed. Zelda was of course on of his best friends, as was Midna, and Toon Link was funny in a hyper way and Ganondorf could actually be more than tolerable at times. Ike and Pit were always good for training for swordsmanship and archery, and after the whole Subspace incident he had really bonded with Kirby and Yoshi, two people he never thought would be anything more than close acquaintances.

So far, he had failed to protect his friends on several occasions. He had already attacked Mario and Pit once due to a misunderstanding over a Zelda trophy he had seen dissolving, and later, when he saw the real Zelda being taken away by King Dedede, he had felt his heart sink when he realized this would be the second time he failed to help her. And for Midna, it would be his third. Granted, she hadn't put her life on the line this time, but still...

He strayed glances at Young Link and Zant. Two people he already couldn't trust. Then he thought back to his meeting with Master Hand after Young Link beat Toon Link, and remembered Lyn and Roy.

And he thought of everyone who could possibly want to replace someone, or become a Smasher, or simply get some more attention, and he frowned heavily at the endless possibilities. Everyone wanted something. And most people would do anything to get it. What did the Smashers want? What did everybody else want? What did his friends want?

Who could he trust?

* * *

Zelda gave Link a sympathetic glance as the Hero frowned into his steak dinner, no doubt worrying himself over the events of the afternoon. She kept to herself as well, but at least had a better poker face.

She really wished she could read his mind, though. But if his thoughts were in line with what happened, he was wondering what was going on, and who was who in this silent struggle. He would wonder who everyone labeled themselves as, and why. He would wonder about the motives of each person, and if it was really all worth it. Worth doing this to the Smash Mansion.

However, Master Hand controlled everything in the Smash Manor. Heck, he controlled everything in the World of Trophies and the universe beyond! If anyone would know what was up inside the Manor, it would be him.

She was going to have a long, serious discussion with Master Hand later.

* * *

The Smash Mansion infirmary was a huge white collection of state-of-the-art medical technology and two long rows of beds. There were only two doors in the infirmary; one led in from the hallways near the portals to the stadiums, and the other was a door off to the left which housed the operating equipment. Currently, the infirmary was abandoned, save one lonely soul.

The patient had healed hours ago, but refused to wake up and face reality. But the sweet dreams that had kept the truth away had melted into nightmares some time ago, and as Midna tossed and turned fretfully, stirring and groaning, those nightmares in turn were giving way to something even more wicked and cruel.

Her eyes screwed shut tighter than effort in a bid to keep wakefulness at bay, but the battle was lost, and Midna's dulled fiery eyes slowly revealed themselves to the world.

Just as soon as they had opened, they shut again with weary acceptance and misery, and Midna allowed a few tears to escape.

She had lost to Zant, _again_. She was the stronger one – she had the _Fused Shadows_, dammit! --and yet she had failed. She had tried her hardest, and she could not overcome him. His words rang in her head.

_"You have a gift for evasion. Befitting of such a cowardly ruler."_

The few tears staining her face quite literally boiled, steamed into wisps of vapor. Her yellow-and-maroon eyes opened once again with a new fire and a new fury in them.

She was _not_ cowardly. She had always done what she deemed best for her people. And she was _not _weak. And she would _not _hand victory over to Zant that easily. She was _not _going to give in.

She had tried her best. She would try harder. Yes. If Zant wanted his victory, he would have to pry in from her cold, dead, unrelenting grasp. He. Would. Not. Win.

She had felt this malicious only when she had discovered the Fused Shadow in her possession when Zant cursed her as an imp. And with the wave of malice came the haunting grin.

* * *

Even with all the excitement of the day, most of the Smash Manor was sleeping by midnight. At which time most of the Omnipresent, along with the newly-appointed double agent Jaye, made their way to the basement as quietly as they could. The creaky door gave several a good adrenaline rush, but no one seemed to notice it. Mewtwo was one of the last people to enter, gliding in to dead silence.

A quick glance of all the faces told that neither Young Link nor Zant were present. However, this seemed to satisfy Mewtwo to some extent. "They aren't here," he murmured. "I suppose that's just as well. Although they should be told as well. We need to know why Crazy Hand decided to try and split us."

"He's _Crazy Hand._ He probably did it out of boredom," Jaye said, but uncertainty laced his voice.

"Unless he knows about this."

"True."

"The main thing is, we don't know why. He could have done it for entertainment, like you say. Or he could know, thinking logically for once, tried to split our numbers."

Gray Fox spoke up. "Well, one thing's for sure, everybody is going to be on their guard now. I was actually surprised we played the same card twice. Master Hand won't tolerate people coming to fight to become Smashers anymore. We need another tactic, for now."

"Like what?" Issac asked. "How else would we become Smashers than by fighting for the position? It's an honor, not a throw-away."

"War," Mewtwo said, "Is not entirely about fighting."

* * *

Master Hand hated paperwork.

But he couldn't entirely hate paperwork, because he could always expect it, and it gave him a sort of pattern, a constant, something he could rely on.

Although, paperwork at one in the morning he definitely hated. Even the Hands needed sleep.

Crazy Hand seemed to be irritated at being deprived his sleep, but kept his comments to himself. "There's always tomorrow," he said, reminding the right hand calmly.

Master Hand sighed wearily. "And what do you suppose tomorrow will bring? About five more people who have heard of all this chaos and decided to try and make a name for themselves as Smashers. We can't have fifty people on the Smasher roster, and if we don't put a stop to all this madness soon, we're going to have _more_ than fifty people every day attempting utter nonsense to make it in! So I have to finish this before morning."

"Technically, it _is_ morning, but yes," Crazy Hand said. "But what exactly is it? You haven't told me."

Master Hand picked up several sheets in front of him with thumb and forefinger. "Hopefully, a solution. Now all I need to do is put up an announcement. Then I'm going to try and get some rest before the complaints start." And with that, he glided out of his office for the front hall.

* * *

The Zelda lounge, like all the other game lounges, was a wonderful place for characters from the series to relax when they had nothing to do. Although, in the case of the Zelda lounge, a good majority of its population was wondering where two very prominent characters had disappeared off to.

They received their answer in the form of one Toon Link, who randomly showed up, looking pretty defeated.

"Link!" Tetra yelled defensively, running over to her friend. "What happened to you?"

"Young Link," Toon Link replied tiredly.

"Huh?"

"He fought me so he could be a Smasher. He won."

"So you got kicked out?"

"I wouldn't stay after that," Toon Link said. "It was... humiliating. I'm going to my room," he said, trudging off, ignoring questioning stares.

Tetra's eyes followed her friend, with concern for him and anger for Young Link. Nobody humiliated her friends without retribution. Not even an alter ego.

* * *

Yeah that was booooooring, sorry. It was mainly out of guilt at not updating. Hopefully now that my two most pivotal exams are over with, and I have disturbed the proctors with random not-so-comforting drawings in the exam booklets (...stupid churches with their stupid pictures of their stupid sacrificial lambs....) I will be able to follow this up with something more meaningful.

So, lessons learned: Zant kicks ass too, Nayru needs chocolate to write, Nayru updates like a sporadic nail gun (aka when she feels like it), and churches are not good places to take important tests.

And the sporadic nail gun is MY phrase. Don't you steal it. Or I will punish your usage of it WITH a sporadic nail gun.

G'nighty...


End file.
